I consider myself a messenger bag kind of guy, but every now and then a sweet-looking backpack will catch my eye (rhyme unintended but I'm leaving it). Such is the case with the Tribute Cloak Backpack by HEX ($100). The navy blue corduroy material and leather straps give it a classy, almost timeless look, but the modernly-designed interior can hold a MacBook…
The onboard computer of just about every car made since 1996 contains tons of useful data about the car and its driver's habits. Usually you have to take the car to a mechanic and let them hook up a gizmo that can decipher all of this data, but now you can just get the Automatic Car Link and see it for yourself.…
There are a surprising number of awesome credit card-shaped iPhone accessories. One of my longtime favorites has been the GoGoStand, but the ChargeCard looks to be another top contender. As you can see in the image above, it has a Lightning connector on one side and a rubberized USB connector that can be folded out from the middle section. I don't know…
The kitchens of many coffee nerds are practically overflowing with coffee paraphernalia, but a lot of that stuff isn't very well-suited for traveling. Electric burr grinders are no exception to this, which is why hand grinders are so great. They can be tossed into a bag alongside your AeroPress for easy traveling. And if you're willing to put in a little elbow…
Silly name, handy items to have around. You won't find these nifty little cable holders in our cable management guide, but if all you're trying to manage is the occasional iDevice cable or set of earbuds that you toss into a bag, then these cord tacos might be right up your alley. The leather gives them a nice, distinguished look. Pick up…
I love it when someone takes a standard idea and puts an interesting new spin on it. Such is the case with the tome-like Lumio Lamp, a Kickstarter project. This object opens up like an accordion into a pleasantly bright lamp, which can run for eight hours continuously on a single charge. It's charming, aims to be eco-friendly, and thanks to the…
We've mentioned the DODOcase Durables iPhone 5 Wallet previously, but I figured the rest of the Durables lineup was worth taking a look at too. They've got one for just about all the popular portables: iPad and iPad mini, MacBook Air 11" and 13", Kindle Paperwhite, Nexus 7 and 10, and the Kindle Fire HD. One can never have too many deluxe…
It looks like 2013 might be the year of Thunderbolt expansion docks. We've got the Belkin Thunderbolt Express Dock, which is an awesome addition to desktop Macs. And now, a Kickstarter project known as the MacDock wants to be the mobile solution for your MacBook. The MacDock aims to come in two styles: Mini and Pro. The Mini—obviously being the smaller of…
Theoretically, we'd all keep our pens, cables, and other knick-knacks in a single, easily-accessible place. But in reality? Stuff can quickly get lost or misplaced (or in my case, stolen by a rogue toddler). That's where the GRID-IT organizer comes in. It's a board of elastic belts that can be used to hold all your smaller items in place. Capable of holding…
We recently talked about Everlane's Snap Backpack, and figured it'd only be fitting to also mention their Weekender Duffel Bag. As with the snap backpack, this duffle sports a high-quality canvas outer with waterproof interior lining and leather accents. Every color choice features a bold stripe accent that sets off its otherwise simple exterior. And Everlane has smartly designed the hand straps…
We love a good backpack and the Snap Backpack by Everlane is no exception. It rocks a canvas exterior, a waterproof nylon interior lining, a padded laptop sleeve that'll fit your 15-inch MacBook Pro, and leather accents throughout. Available in four colors, it looks fantastic and fits right in for daily use in the city or out on the trail.
I've never owned a motorcycle, but if my wife would let me, I'd be all over the Iron 883. The American bike is just want I like — it's dark and simple. There's no flash here — just good looks. Weighing 573.2 pounds, it gets 51 mpg. I can't think of much that is this handsome and this green, all at the same…
If you're looking for a simple laptop bag that can accommodate up to a 15-inch MacBook Pro, the Incase Campus Pack might just be for you. The durable nylon exterior houses a padded sleeve for your notebook, slip pocket for a tablet and additional pockets for smaller items. While not the biggest backpack on the market, it's nice and simple, and sometimes…
I remember when my mom got a minivan. It was a green 1995 Grand Caravan, and it was far from awesome, for many reasons. One of the reasons was that it lacked any type of in-car entertainment, except for a tape deck. While we content to be blasting Stephen Curtis Chapman driving around the suburbs, we could have been a lot cooler.…
This is the new version of the bag I have for carrying my Apple gear around the country. The stuff Hard Graft makes isn't cheap (I sold my original iPad and iPad 2 to pay for this bag), but that's the point. It's handmade from the finest and sturdiest materials, and it's built to last. I searched for a long time trying…
Handmade in Colorado. I could stop there, but there's more to this fine duffel than the fact it was made by hand in God's Country. It measures 12 inches across and 24 wide. The outside is constructed with Cordura brand heavy-duty synthetic nylon fabric, it uses seat belts for straps, and has a natural leather handle. The inside is lined with nylon…
This is, so far as I can tell, the first portable Thunderbolt drive — and it's an SSD to boot. The Lacie Little Big Disk likes to pretend its portable by being small, but it still requires a power adapter to work. The Elgato portable Thunderbolt SSD drive is just a small, external enclosure with an SSD inside. It measures 5.2 x…
Who doesn't want a well-made, sturdy, and simple duffle bag on hand? They're great for camping, weekend getaways, trips to grandma's house, and more. The No Matter What lineup from Eagle Creek has four sizes of duffels ranging from the 18-inch small to the 36-inch extra-large. All of them are lightweight, made from recycled material, come with a center and end haul…
Though I prefer my small Timbuk2 bag, the TOM BIHN Ristretto has long been hailed as one of the finest iPad bags around. It is a small and sturdy vertical messenger bag that holds just a minimum of items. Some folks like small bags because they only cary around so many items and so why have a large bag with empty space…
My wife and I were fortunate enough to spend nearly two weeks on The Big Island of Hawaii last spring. And this book was our tour guide. In fact, it was better than a tour guide because we could fit the book in our backpack and explore the Big Island just the two of us. Hawaii, The Big Island Revealed, has information…